The Cooking Princess - Chapter 76

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Princess Who Cooks

Episode 76

Watching him, Chloe thought to herself.

Even in the original story, he was always someone who diminished himself, controlled himself, and hid his desires to match his unstable position.

In such a situation, telling him to control even love would be too cruel to Shuel.

Even if Shuel comes to love Shurya later, let’s send him off well.

And until he leaves, let’s love him to our heart’s content.

Treating others with sincerity and becoming close to them was the field Chloe was most confident in after cooking.

So Chloe shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and said to Shuel.

“That’s strange.”

At Chloe’s clear voice that seemed completely unaffected emotionally, Shuel finally raised his head to meet Chloe’s green eyes.

“Even after becoming Empress, I plan to live as I please, you know?”

At that mischievous tone, Shuel looked dazed.

Chloe added playfully.

“No, but this is the most ridiculous part.”

As if truly finding it absurd, Chloe even touched her own chin and added with a contemplative expression.

“Why is this proposal bad for me and only good for Your Highness?”

Before Shuel could answer, Chloe continued grumbling.

“If we’re being serious about it, the problem would be that I’ve grown my influence so freely that I’ve fallen out of His Majesty’s favor.”

Don’t apologize for things that aren’t Your Highness’s fault, Chloe urged once again.

Shuel looked at the gentle and tender Chloe who was trying to comfort him somehow with darkly sunken eyes.

Even interpreting that Shuel was feeling guilty simply due to His Majesty’s command was so like her.

“I’m really fine, so please don’t feel guilty.”

Despite being the one who suffered harm, Chloe was constantly watching Shuel’s mood and hoping his feelings would improve.

‘Could she really think that an engagement with me isn’t so bad.’

Shuel, who had momentarily harbored hope, denied his own thoughts half a beat too late.

‘That can’t be.’

Chloe is naturally that kind of person. A warm person who knows how to consider and care for others’ feelings.

The kind heart that wishes others wouldn’t be hurt because of her was something rarely seen in this Imperial Palace, at least.

A prince who, despite having the bloodline of being the Imperial Palace’s only legitimate son, still hasn’t received the crown prince investiture due to weak maternal relatives’ influence.

Shuel knew better than anyone how ambiguous and precarious his position was.

With the Empress who would have been on Shuel’s side long dead, and the Imperial Consort keeping the only prince in check, people subtly flattered only the Grand Prince and the Imperial Consort while reserving judgment about the prince.

In childhood, there were those who supported Shuel to some extent, but that support disappeared when Claude achieved military accomplishments that no one dared to surpass with his overwhelming swordsmanship talent.

In his heart, it was understandable.

Wasn’t Claude ordinarily cruel in nature.

If he became Emperor, he wouldn’t leave Shuel and all those who supported him alone.

So it was understandable that people looked up to Shuel while personally avoiding him.

Shuel wasn’t the type to kill everyone who sided with Claude even if he became Emperor, and others would know that too.

But Chloe had consistently welcomed Shuel since childhood.

She never forced anything on Shuel and never cursed him by comparing him to Claude.

People who didn’t know better called Shuel the sun, seeing only his brilliant golden hair and appearance.

But Shuel’s sun was Chloe.

And she, who seemed made only of warm things, had just now completely misread Shuel’s feelings.

Bright and pure as she was, she would never know.

He wasn’t feeling guilty about forcibly binding Chloe to him, but rather was despairing because he wasn’t troubled despite forcibly keeping her by his side.

He felt contempt for himself for even feeling base joy in a corner of his heart.

Yes. Contrary to Chloe’s thoughts, Shuel was actually tormented by not feeling guilty.

When Shuel didn’t speak for a long time, Chloe became anxious and spoke again.

“Your Highness, you’re really alright, aren’t you?”

Hating that Chloe, who had done nothing wrong, was reading his mood, Shuel firmly suppressed his increasingly gloomy heart and answered nonchalantly.

“Of course I’m fine. Now, would it be alright if I called you by your name, Chloe?”

Actually, he had always thought he’d like her to call him by his name too.

But if he said it out loud, it would only be coercion, so he guided Chloe to call his name by disguising it as the most nonchalant joke possible.

“Of course. Then would it be alright if I gradually start calling you Shuel instead of Your Highness or Prince?”

Sure enough, the bright girl suggested this and smiled boldly, completely unaware of Shuel’s gloomy inner thoughts.

“…Yes.”

Not even knowing that was the answer Shuel had guided her to.

Despite receiving the answer he had guided, base joy inevitably filled Shuel’s heart.

Even while thinking he shouldn’t force her, Shuel inevitably felt happy and despised himself for feeling joy.

You don’t know how much I rejoiced at the fact that I could bind you forever under the pretext of His Majesty’s command.

I already knew that if it was His Majesty’s forceful command, you would never blame me.

If you knew these gloomy inner thoughts, what would you think of me.

But since he didn’t have the courage to lay bare these true feelings before Chloe.

“…Thank you. Chloe.”

Shuel expressed his gratitude and spoke to Chloe with sincerity.

“I’ll work hard from now on. I’ll make sure no harm comes to you.”

***

The Garnet Family was in chaos over the Imperial Family’s forceful engagement.

“How can His Majesty do this, no matter who he is!”

Grania Garnet, Count, who was about to lose the family heir to the Imperial Court out of nowhere, turned his face bright red with anger.

“Making such a declaration in a place where only children were gathered!”

Grania Garnet, Count was furious at the despicable act of pressuring Chloe alone in a place where Grania Garnet, Count and the Duchess were not present.

Chloe answered her parents’ anger with a composed smile.

“It’s fine. Pierre is a branch member of our family, right? How about entrusting the family to him?”

He had actually learned all practical affairs from Chloe and Grania Garnet, Count, so he would be perfect as the family heir in case of emergency.

‘Count Blair seemed to be considering even this.’

He seemed ambitious but not malicious, so Chloe had been watching him.

When Chloe smiled warmly after finishing her mental calculations, the Duchess with a sad face asked.

“Do you love His Highness the Prince?”

“Pardon?”

At Chloe’s surprised question, the Duchess quickly added.

“If you can’t continue the family line, you should at least gain love to feel less wronged.”

The Duchess also knew that the engagement the Emperor was urging was coercion, of course.

But knowing Chloe and Shuel who had interacted for a long time, she asked about Chloe’s feelings toward Shuel.

At that question, Chloe pondered for a moment.

“To be honest, I don’t know what love is yet. But.”

She opened her mouth while recalling Shuel’s brightly smiling face.

“When I’m with His Highness, conversations are enjoyable. My heart feels comfortable too.”

She confessed her feelings toward Shuel to her parents as they were.

“If it’s within my power, I always want to help him.”

Because kind-hearted Shuel had always done the same.

“Is that level of feeling insufficient?”

At Chloe’s bright answer that didn’t seem too bad despite being forced into an engagement, her parents finally felt a little relieved.

Not long after, a formal proposal letter arrived from the Imperial Palace.

***

And on the day of the engagement ceremony.

Shuel and Chloe held a ceremony grandly prepared by the Imperial Palace.

To somehow quickly finalize the engagement, everyone worked hard to make the engagement ceremony splendid and beautiful.

Being May, the weather was exceptionally good.

It was as if even the sunlight was cheering for Chloe and Shuel’s engagement.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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